Chieftain baseball erupts in win vs. BSHS

Levy’s grand slam powers THS to 11-4 win

The Tonganoxie High baseball team picked up its second win in as many days with an 11-4 victory Tuesday against Kaw Valley League opponent Bonner Springs.

The Chieftains (6-10, 6-4 KVL) fell behind early when BSHS plated two runs in the top of the first, but they scored three in the third to take the lead.

The teams traded a run in the fourth, then THS blew the game wide open with a seven-run fifth. Junior Shane Levy, who was intentionally walked twice Monday at Lansing, led the offensive onslaught with a grand slam.

"It's big any time we can get (Levy) up in a position where they've got to pitch to him," coach Mitch Loomis said. "He put three great swings on his first three at-bats previous to that and really got himself going."

Bonner Springs got one run back in the seventh, but that's as close as the Braves got.

With the win, THS surpassed its win total from a year ago and avenged an extra-inning loss to BSHS in last month's Butch Foster Memorial Classic. The 11 runs were the most the team has scored in a game this season.

Senior Brett Shelton got the win on the mound. He allowed four runs on nine hits while striking out four in a complete-game effort.

"(Shelton) did a good job of trusting the process and not worrying about what was going on," Loomis said. "We gave up a couple runs, but we knew we had the offensive power to answer."

The Chieftains will wrap up their regular season at 3 p.m. Thursday with a single game at Turner. They handed the Bears a 4-3 loss on April 8 at home. Thursday's rematch will have no bearing on regional seeding.